Composer's Notes
Review of Testimony: The Legend of Charlie Parker
In 1995, Christopher Williams approached me and Yusef Komunyakaa about collaborating on a music theatre project for radio that had jazz as its central musical language. This led to the commissioning of Testimony by the ABC with assistance from the Australia Council. It was first broadcast on Soundstage on ABC Classic FM in August 1999. Testimony consists of 14 sonnets written by Yusef about the life and music of Charlie Parker, that I have set to music. You will also hear several Charlie Parker tunes arranged for the Australian Art Orchestra.
I remember the exhilaration I felt when I first heard a recording of Charlie Parker. The energy, virtuosity, passion, innovation, spontaneity, intelligence and sheer beauty of his playing remain to this day an artistic pinnacle that I will never come close to reaching, but for which I am constantly striving.
In writing the music for Testimony I have been challenged and inspired not only by the life and music of Bird and his contemporaries, but also by the extraordinary way in which Yusef has told Bird’s story. The power of his words and the rhythmic and melodic structure of his text led naturally to the song forms that I have chosen for each piece. The singers who appear in this performance showcase the diversity and excellence of vocal talent in Australia. It has been thrilling for me to write for such a wonderful variety of strong, individual voices. Some of the poems seemed to work better in their spoken form and are narrated here by the talented and sensitive Bobby C.
I was delighted when the Australian Art Orchestra, a group overflowing with brilliant soloists and original thinkers, expressed interest in performing Testimony.
The development of the piece from a radio show to a live performance has been a most exciting one. Given the nature of the work, the AAO decided to ask Nigel Jamieson to direct the live performance. Nigel has brought together a very accomplished creative team to realise his imaginative visual and theatrical concepts in a way that is supportive to the music and highlights the drama of the narrative.
– Sandy Evans
Reviews of Testimony: The Legend of Charlie Parker
